


Polarize

by 9burials



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, DeafAl, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, IshvalanElrics, Mostly Platonic EdLing, TransboyEdward, if i make a sequel it might be straight up edling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2015-09-19
Packaged: 2018-04-21 02:05:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4810739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9burials/pseuds/9burials
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Polarize is deciding where to die and deciding where to fight. There are people that want the Elric brothers, even more than the Homunculi. Its funny how the dead can still affect the living. Ishvalan!Elric Brothers AU Parental!Roy Parental!Hughes No pairings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Polarize (Chapter 1)

> _I wanted to be a better brother, better son,_
> 
> _Wanted to be a better adversary to the evil I have done_

"They sent a couple of kids after me, huh?"

Isaac the Freezer stared at the white-haired boy in front of him and the one next to the boy, assuming it was his brother. "How on earth are you in the military?"

The boy in front of him frowned at him before speaking, "I'm just that good," he said in with a smirk.

Isaac looked towards him, waving a hand. "This isn't for kiddies like you," he said.

Edward clapped and pressed his hands onto a nearby wall, a hand made of bricks formed.

"Woah!" the Freezer exclaimed as he dodged the attack. "What the-!"

Edward's eyebrow twitched in agitation and annoyance. The dark-skinned boy clapped and set his two hands on the ground this time around, spikes forming from the concrete and going towards the taller man. The spikes formed around Isaac and trapped up in the air.

Edward smirked, "I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist," he said.

The older alchemist looked the fourteen-year-old up and down, examining his rather short stature, his dark skin, and his white hair braided back and tied. The red coat bracing his shoulders and the sunglasses on his face (despite it being night out) caught the man's attention. Isaac glanced at quiet boy next to Edward. His hair was much shorter, but was the same snow white as the State Alchemist. He, too, was wearing sunglasses.

"C'mon, Al. We gotta get going. We got a train to catch," he said as he turned away from the man.

The thirteen-year-old, now known as Al, simply nodded and walked behind his elder brother. The policemen thanked the two boys, but neither replied.

Alphonse tapped his brother's shoulder, causing him to turn around. "Yeah, what's up?"

"You have to report to the Colonel, Ed," he signed to his brother.

Ed sighed, "Ugh, do I have to? I'm sure he can piece it together-"

The alchemist scratched the back of his head. Al's eyebrows were furrowed and he had a frown on his face. 'He's glaring at me.'

"Fine, fine. I'll report to that bastard," he started, "after a nap. Ow-"

Alphonse hit his brother upside the head without hesitation, a smirk on his face. His mouth opened to form a small chuckle, but nothing came out.

Ed groaned, "Fine, let's go. He might not even be there. It's kinda late, don't you think?"

The younger Elric pointed in the direction of Eastern Command. Groaning once again, Edward walked ahead of his brother.

The night was clear and the city was full of bustling people, hurrying to places or walking to slow, Edward hated the publicly either way it went. They were useless people that formed opinions with being informed. Edward hurried through the crowd, trying his best not punch anyone in the face. Edward looked up at a building and gasped before quickly bowing his head to watch his feet. Grabbing his brother's hand, Edward spoke softly, "Keep your head low, Alphonse."

Without a second thought, he bowed his head and watched his feet instead of the people walking by them. It wasn't before then that the two brothers made it to Eastern Command and headed up the steps.

"Who are you-"

Before one of the soldiers could finish, Edward pulled out his pocket watch and pulled his brother through the front door and up the stairs. The walls were a light shade of blue and the floors shined from the reflection of the light above their heads.

Alphonse turned down the wrong hallway and pulled his brother aside. A worried look crossed his face.

"They were watching us, weren't they?" he asked.

"They always are, Al," Edward replied. "I don't know who they are, but we need to be careful."

"Yeah."

The two turned in the opposite direction and headed towards the office once again. It was a few more flights of stairs and the occasional soldiers saluting the older teen before they were outside the office door. And as per usual (or lack of of a more explosive entrance) the Fullmetal alchemist kicked the door down.

"I'm here!" he said with a proud smile.

"Edward," a voice said.

Edward turned around to find Lieutenant Hawkeye standing next to the door with a stack of papers in her hands. "Hi, Lieutenant!"

The blonde woman sighed, "Hello, Edward, Alphonse."

The younger of the Elric brothers smiled and waved at the blonde woman before settling into a chair.

"Hey, Alphonse," Fuery shouted.

The white-haired boy turned to find the bespectacled man toying with a radio. He waved at him.

"The radio's been picking up more static than anything lately. Can you help me?"

Alphonse nodded before rising up from his seat.

"Edward, could you please not slam the door? You're gonna get someone hurt."

Ed raised his eyebrows, "Like who?"

"Me!"

The white-haired teen jumped at the sound of a voice behind the door. "Eh?"

Lightly pushing the door, Havoc walked out from behind the (now bloody) door, holding his nose.

Fullmetal blushed and scratched the back of his head, "Hehe, my bad."

"My bad?! Not even a sorry?" Havoc exclaimed, false hurt filling his voice (he was hurt).

The silver-haired boy shrugged, "Not my fault you were next to a door that opens inwards."

The office was silent, the kid had a point. Breda was the first to start chuckling before the entire office was in a fit of laughter. Edward chuckled softly before looking towards his brother who was on the ground holding his stomach from the laughter that should have left his mouth.

The state alchemist hummed to himself, "Is the Colonel here?"

Hawkeye nodded, "Just through the door."

Nodding, Ed turned to Al before signing to him, "I'll be out in a minute."

Alphonse nodded before turning back to the circle he had only just begun drawing.

"That's a transmutation circle, right?" Fuery asked softly. When the boy hadn't responded, Kain tapped him on the shoulder.

Alphonse raised his eyebrows, "Did you say something?" he signed.

"U-Um, is that a transmutation circle?"

Al nodded and sat the radio set in the middle of the transmutation. Placing his hands onto the circle, a blue light brightened the room, stares coming from everyone. When he was done, Al sighed (inaudibly) and turned around with a smile.

"There you go!" he signed.

"Thanks!" Fuery said allowed, knowing the boy couldn't hear him. Fuery, well, the whole team, was trying to learn sign language to surprise Alphonse. Of course, with all the office work they had (that they often slacked off on), only a few words were learned. Edward normally had to translate what the boy was trying to say.

"So, Fullmetal, how did Isaac the Freezer go?"

Edward had already begun to get annoyed with his tone of voice alone. It wasn't like is Commanding Officer to start a conversation without-

"Or was he too big for you?"

And there it is.

"Who are you calling a flea?!" he exclaimed.

There was a long pause before the Colonel spoke again, a smirk on his face, "You."

Edward rolled up his sleeve, as if he were readying his fist. "Why I oughtta-"

"Did he cause you any trouble?"

Edward stopped and froze, "Wha?"

"Did he cause any trouble?"

The younger alchemist plopped down onto the couch and looked away. "Nah, it was a pretty boring fight. He didn't say anything spectacular. Just asked why the military would send kiddies."

Mustang chuckled, "I take you're tired of hearing that question."

"Mm," he paused, "any new leads?"

The Colonel sighed, "How many times are you gonna ask that?"

"As many times as I need too."

"There aren't any right now-"

"Its been two months, Mustang, two. There has to be something!"

Isaac was not happy. Not at all. He couldn't believe he let a kid get the better of him. He was in the hands of the authorities now. If he stopped now, surely they'd kill him. He had to go through with his plan.

Looking towards a building he smirked.

"What are you smiling at-"

The officer was interrupted by a sharp nail through his chest.

"What the-" another officer started, but never got to finish, his body now frozen.

Isaac chuckled, "Sorry, I can't let you get in my way now." He looked over to the woman that had attacked the (now dead) soldier. "You came to rescue me, huh?"

The busty woman turned to him nonchalantly, "Nothing of the sort, Mr. Freezer. You have a job to do. And if you do it well, I give you another one of these." She held up a small glass tube containing a glowing red liquid inside. "You can have all the immortality you want." Lust put the glass tube into her dress before speaking up once more, "But, only if you get me those Elric brothers."

Isaac looked at her with wide eyes before nodding.

So, yeah new story.

Should I continue!

REVIEW! REIVEW!

THANKS!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First time on AO3. My chapters do get longer. I know this one is 2000+ words longer than the last so stay tuned!

> _I know I knocked the table over because I watched the jar break_
> 
> _and I've been trying to repair it every single stupid day_

"It's been two months, Colonel, two. There has to be something."

Edward was out of his seat by now. His agitation had been slowly rising. He was getting frustrated with the man. It had been too long, he was holding out on something. But what?

"If there was anything to give you I would have already-"

"Bull! You're holdin' out on me!"

The Flame Alchemist furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance. "The only leads I have are too dangerous for you and your brother." 'Yeah, Mustang, that'll throw him off!'

"Too dangerous? Barry the Chopper was dangerous, human transmutation was dangerous, Ishv-" the teen stopped himself.

"Hm?"

"We've handled it all, Mustang. What makes you think we can't handle doing this?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows. He was restless (quite literally).

Roy only sighed, "You and your brother have done well, Fullmetal. You deserve rest. You're dismissed."

"Dismissed? Answer me you bast-"

"I said dismissed, Elric," he shouted. The dark-haired man never shouted at him, not since the day they first met. Mustang was always calm and collected, always down to Earth.

Edward's eyes rested on the floor. "Yes, sir," he mumbled softly as he walked out the door, hands balled into fists, shoulders strung. Opening the door, he looked back on his commanding officer before promptly slamming the door closed.

The outer office was silent now, they hadn't known what happened between the commanding officer and his youngest subordinate, but they knew it couldn't have been good.

"Al," the teen shouted.

The boy turned around and looked at him, he tried his best to ignore the slammed door and decided to continue to tell Fuery on what to do if the radio had ever broken again. The younger Elric was only in the midst of writing down instructions when he felt his brother call out to him.

They had been like that for sometime now. Sure, Alphonse couldn't hear, but he could feel any vibration if it was loud enough. He'd gotten good at it, abnormally good at it. It came in handy, especially in a fight. (He had to protect his brother after all.)

"Are we leaving?" Al signed.

All Ed did was nod and Alphonse waved goodbye to the office before he was dragged out of the room.

"I wonder why he was in such hurry," Havoc mumbled to himself.

"Mm," Falman started, "you know those boys are always on the move."

"C'mon, Al, we have somewhere to go," he signed to his brother. He was still holding his brother hand tightly

The younger alchemist furrowed his eyebrows, "Didn't you want to take a nap?" he asked as they headed down a flight of stairs.

It was only ten at night, so there weren't as many soldiers as there were during the day. Most were going back to the dorms.

Both brothers we glad about that.

"I'm not very tired anymore okay?"

"Did something happen?"

The long-haired boy frowned and sighed, "Nothing important."

"New lead?"

"None right now. But, I think maybe we should just go back to the apartment and go to the library tomorrow," he stated.

A silence stretched between the two (as it often did over the past three years. Alphonse stared at his brother. Edward looked back at him, "Didn't I tell you to keep your head down?"

Alphonse's red eyes widened before lowering his head once again. He could feel them, they both could.

The younger stopped in his tracks and lightly tugged at his brother's hand, grabbing his attention.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Ed's eyebrows furrowed in worry and a frown made its way onto his still-childish face. "Why'd you-"

"They're here, aren't they?" he signed slowly. He didn't want to talk about them. It was something that neither liked to talk about it, it was practically forbidden between them. It wouldn't be the first time they did something like that.

"Don't worry about them, Al, I got this. We'll be safe. I won't let them get to you," Ed whispered softly.

"How are you so sure? We don't even know what they want with us!" he signed to his brother furiously.

Fullmetal attempted at a smile, "Al, it doesn't matter. We'll be okay. I promise," he said, hugging his brother before turning and grabbing his hand once again. "And put this on too, would ya?" he asked as he pulled up his brother's hood.

"Brother, I think I'll just go back to the apartment. You go to the library."

Edward was taken aback to say the least. 'What is he thinking?'

"Al, it's too dangerous for you to go back by yourself! They could attack you," the state alchemist whispered.

"I can handle myself, brother. Besides, I think you need to go to the library. We'll get work done faster if one of us goes, and I'm tired."

"Al..."

"Relax, brother, I can take care of myself," Al said as he smiled. They had long left Eastern Command and were now at the fork in the road that divided the apartment building and the library.

Fall was just starting and there was nothing more than a few degrees below eighty-something-or-the-other. He would be fine! He was always fine.

The state alchemist was reluctant, but sighed and nodded at his brother. Its not like he was two light years away, it was only a ten or so blocks.

"I'll be there later tonight."

"What do you want for dinner?"

"I'll just make a sandwich when I get there."

"Later, brother," Alphonse said.

"Keep your head low, and your hood up. Don't engage in anyone and-"

"Don't pick up any cats, I know, I know."

Ed smiled and carried on his way. The Eastern Library wasn't as far away as he thought. The silver-haired teen smiled as he saw it was still open. "Hello, Ms. Scheska!"

A brown haired woman gasped and raised her head from the book she was reading, "H-Hello, Edward! How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks, you?"

"Just rereading a book, is all. Where's Alphonse?"

"He decided to go back to the apartment. I won't be here for long, I think I'll just take few books and be out of your hair. I have to make sure nothing happens to him," he said, walking down an aisle.

The young bespectacled librarian hardly heard what he said as when he looked through the bookcase, she'd already been absorbed in a book.

The alchemist smiled as he continued his way down the aisles of books, almost getting lost. He frowned, "Where are they? They were here just yesterday-"

"Looking for these?" A voice interrupted.

Edward turned around to find a man hiding in the shadows. From what Ed could tell he had an average, muscular build and had pale skin, his hair was long, tied back, black as night.

Said man stepped into the light, he was wearing a white suit, one hand in pocket and the other holding the books he was looking for. A smirk adorned his pale face as he watched the boy get into a fighting stance.

"Who are you?" Edward asked defensively. He was with them, he knew. It was obvious. Who else would be after him and his brother?

"Surely, you remember me, don't you, Ishvalan?" the man said.

Edward took in a surprised breath before regaining his composure. He balled his fists, reading to attack the man. "Who are you?"

The man only sighed, "I remember when you and your brother were so much smaller, and your brother was so lost. It was just after the incident wasn't it?"

"What are you talking-"

"You were with a group when I attacked you weren't you?" he asked as he cupped his own chin with his bare index finger.

Edward gasped as he saw the transmutation circle on the inside of the man's palm.

"But, now that I think about it," he started, "they all got blown to smithereens, right?"

The Ishvalan growled in his direction, "Kimblee!" he exclaimed as he charged at the man.

Solf J. Kimblee frowned at the boy. 'How foolish could this boy be?' The Crimson Alchemist grabbed the boy's flesh arm and turned it around behind his back. The silver-haired teen was about to raise his leg to kick the man, but he stopped.

"If you move, I'll blow your arm and your brother to bits, understand?" he whispered furiously.

Needless to say, the Ishvalan left his leg on the floor and looked down. "Why are you here?"

"Just a little business trip, besides I needed to see my favorite little Ishvalan. But, last I remembered, you were wearing a skirt."

"Last I remembered, you were in jail," Edward countered.

Kimblee looked slightly surprised before his smirk returned, "Fair enough. But, Elric, make sure you don't die, neither you nor that brother of yours. We need you both. Especially, you."

"So, you are with them, then. What do you want with us? Hasn't this country done enough to my people? Weren't the heads you sent rolling enough?" he sneered towards the man. "I highly doubt you want any of us alive."

"Essentially, you'd be right."

Ed scoffed.

"But, not you two."

"Oh? And why is that?" he asked sarcastically.

Kimblee's smirk got larger, Ed didn't know that was possible. 'This smug little murderer!'

"You'll find out soon enough, Elric."

And with that, the older alchemist disappeared, dropping the books on the floor as he did so. Checking the books out, Ed left the library, pushing up his sunglasses and throwing his red hood over his head. The snow white boy knew it didn't matter though. They were in the city, they were watching them. And they would kill them.

They'd kill Alphonse.

Ed's hands shook in his pockets, eyes downcast as he walked the several blocks to the apartment. His only company being the average stumbling drunk and his own paranoid voice seeking deeper into his skull.

'How long is he gonna be like this? How long is Al gonna have to go without music, and speaking, and singing, and hearing my voice. How long before he abandons-! Stop it, Elric! Pull it together!'

He stared up at the top of the apartment building before walking through the two front doors and up the stairs. The walls were a calm, neutral beige color with wooden floors (Ed thanked Ishvala for that they weren't creaky). Walking down the hallway, he stopped in front of the door and pulled out his keys before (finally) opening the door.

Ed walked past the couch and the kitchen into the room he shared with his brother. Sure, there was a spare room, but Al insisted they put another bed in the room for him. Saying something about how the room was too small for him. Ed didn't argue, it was probably safer for them anyhow.

Entering the room the teen noticed his brother's form in his bed. 'This brat! How is he gonna take my bed?'

Sighing, Edward sat on Al's bed and threw off his coat and boots. _'I didn't know I was so tired,'_ he thought with a yawn. It wasn't long after, the boy fell asleep.

_**BREAK** _

"You'll be getting them tomorrow, right? You do have a plan ready, don't you?" Lust asked.

Isaac sighed, "Look, I know you guys don't need sleep or anything like that, but humans need rest."

Lust smirked at the man, "But, of course, Mr. Freezer," before leaving the man to his own devices.

_**BREAK** _

Alphonse shook his brother's form and frowned. Why wasn't he getting up? He shook him again.

"Mm," he groaned before flipping over on his left side, away from his brother.

Al glared at him in annoyance before shaking him again. _'Wake up idiot!'_

Then it dawned on him. He smirked.

Rolling his brother's body onto his back, Al raised a fist and (as softly as possible) punched his brother in the face, effectively waking the older Elric. Edward stared up sleepily at his brother with blood red eyes. Blinking a few times, he furrowed his eyebrows before growling lowly.

"Al," he mumbled softly.

Alphonse smiled innocently, "Yes, brother?" he signed.

"1...2…"

The deaf teen ran out of the room and into what was his own room, looking the door. Edward pounded on the door harshly making a hole not much bigger than his fist. "Al!" he shouted as he stumbled over the nightstand by the door. Ed was pissed.

Alphonse on the other hand was having a laughing fit against the door. Well, he was until he saw an automail hand reaching for the doorknob through a hole in the door.

"Uh oh," he mouthed to himself as he rose from the door. Once the door was opened the two stood and stared at one another with red eyes.

Edward smiled, "Alphonse," he said. Al's legs shook a little as he stared at his brother. "As an older brother," he started, "I am supposed to protect you, not cause harm to you."

The younger alchemist's shoulders relaxed with an inaudible sound. "I'm sorry, brother," he gestured to Ed.

Edward looked dead into his brother eyes, his own were dark. "Mhm, that's what my last brother said before he took that nasty fall."

The shorter boy would've squeaked if he could. Now that he thoughts about, maybe waking Ed up from his sleep with a punch to the face. "It's just that, it was time for us to go to the library..."

The state alchemist blinked at his brother, thinking. "Wait, what time is it?"

"It's almost one, brother, you slept through the morning."

"Hm," he said thoughtfully. Well, that wasn't expected, but, oh well. "I'll shower then."

"How do you know they'll be here?" Isaac asked.

"Oh, trust me," Lust said, "it won't be long. They'll have to come here, whether they want to or not."

Ed held out his flesh hand. "I don't remember the news saying anything about rain."

"Since when have you watched the news, brother?" Al asked with a smirk adorning his face.

Fullmetal glared at him before speaking, "Oh, shut up, Al."

Al's mouth was opened in a chuckle, "Someone's cranky. Didn't you get enough sleep?"

"Ugh, not enough," Ed replied pushing up his sunglasses.

"Have you found him, yet?" Mustang asked his friend. Maes Hughes was the leader of investigations. He stood at the same height as Mustang (5'11'') with green irises and glasses framing his face.

"We haven't had any luck finding this guy. The only description we can get of this guy is white, muscular build, brown skin, and sunglasses," a bespectacled replied. "We don't have a name. The public started calling him Scar for the x-shaped mark on his face."

"I just want to know why he's killing state alchemists," the Colonel mumbled under his breath.

Hughes glared at his friend.

"What?"

"You are going to protect those boys, aren't you?"

The Flame Alchemist blinked before growling, "Damn it! Lieutenant!"

The blonde woman walked in. "Yes, sir?"

"Find the Elric brothers!"

"Al," Ed yawned. "I'm tired."

"You're always tired brother," Al signed as he smiled.

"Yeah, well, you try working for the mili-"

"Excuse me?" a voice interjected. "Are you Edward Elric?"

Edward glared at the tall figure before him. It was a dark-skinned man with a beige coat surrounding his form. From what Ed could tell he had a muscular build. "Who's asking?"

Scar looked down at the boy before he held his hand out towards his head.

An explosion occurred and dust filled the area. Faint scream could be heard.

"An explosion, has occurred near Main Street. There have been no reported casualties as of yet-"

Roy didn't listen to the news report before he pulled on a pair of ignition gloves and headed out the door.

"Prepare a car, we're going to Main Street," he ordered.

"Why?"

"He's going to save his boys from Scar," Hughes whispered to the group.

"What the hell?!" Ed exclaimed as he clapped his hands, forming his signature sword from his automail. "Who are you?!"

Scar grunted and went in to attack the boy again. "So, that's why it didn't work," he mumbled. "Guess I'll have to try again."

The state alchemist attacked Scar with a roundhouse kick. When Scar caught his leg, the teen clapped and placed his hands on the wet ground, spikes forming and piercing their way through the air. One grazed Scar's head, but he got away. 'Crap!'

Edward took a swing at him with his right arm. Scar caught the metal appendage in his tattooed arm.

Next thing the brother's knew it was in pieces.

Edward fell to the ground in horror, his sunglasses falling off of his face. Fullmetal looked up at the man with red eyes.

"So, you both have disobeyed the teachings of Ishvala," Scar said aloud. "You both shall be punished."

Ed turned to his younger brother who's hands were on his knees. He was panting. Al stood up straight and charged at the man once again. Alphonse ran towards the man, aiming for a punch to the face which ended up being dodged.

"Run, Al!" Ed exclaimed.

It was at that moment that his brother was out of his mind, and shook his head before going to attack Scar once again with a kick to his head. Scar held Al's leg in his arm.

Alphonse let out a silent scream as the bones in his leg was fractured with the alchemical reaction. Al fell to the ground, his glasses flying onto the ground. The deaf boy cradled his leg towards him.

Scar walked up to the boy, now sitting on the wet ground, a hand reached out for his head.

"Stop!" Ed screamed as he slammed his hand on the ground. Red sparks caused the water to take the form of an animal, something akin to a dog of sorts. Ed's eyes changed from the normally blood red to a color of gold, similar to the sun that hadn't been out that day.

"What the-?"

'Brother? Your alchemy, it-it isn't red...'

The four wolves attacked the Ishvalan man in the rain. Throwing his arm in the air, he destroyed the water-made animals. Edward frowned deeply and put his hand to the earth once again. This time, the teen formed an array of spikes coming out of one another. By this point, Edward didn't care whether or not he killed the man. He tried to hurt his brother, and that was unforgivable.

"Scar!" a voice sounded.

Edward looked over to the announcer with a golden-eyed glare. 'I'm trying to do something here!'

"Turn yourself in and you won't get hurt!"

Scar smirked, "Hm, the Fullmetal and the Flame Alchemist in one day. It seems that Ishvala has put me into His favor."

"Al!" Ed shouted, his eyes turning back to the original color. "Al, are you okay-"

Al punched his brother in the face. "Hey! What was that for?!"

"What were you thinking?!" he signed furiously. "Are you trying to get yourself killed, idiot?!"

Ed glared at him, "Hey, now, don't go calling your older brother an idiot, all right?"

"How can I not when he's suicidal-" Al winced clutched his injured leg.

Roy handed the megaphone over to a random soldier next to him. "I'll finish this guy!" he exclaimed as he snapped, a spark of fire headed above Al's head towards Scar, causing Al to let out a silent scream.

"AL!"

Havoc looked towards the brother's and then Scar. "Wait, how can he do that in the rain?"

"Well, after this one raid a year or so ago, the Colonel waterproofed his gloves," Breda answered.

The Lieutenant spent no time in firing her gun towards Scar. He dodged every chance he took, but a single bullet grazed his leg and head. Slamming his tattooed arm to the ground he escaped into the sewage lines.

"Fuery, go take care of the brothers."

Fuery ran over to the two boys, "How bad are you injuries-"

The two boys looked up at Fuery, eyes widening as they realized. Al shook in Ed's arms.

Mustang walked over to the two boys, he reached for them, "Are you boys- Oh my God." Roy stared at their blood red eyes for what felt like eternity. Ed's aura seeped anger and hatred. 'No, it can't be.'

"Get away from us," the teen mumbled. "Al," he whispered lovingly to his brother. Al's red eyes were wide in fear, his body shaking in his brother's arm.

A bright blue light flashed and the wet road had turned to ice. The three alchemists turned their heads to see Isaac standing there, a smirk adorning his rough features.

"I'm back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Give me any criticism and kudos!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't even know I posted a second chapter, so here's the third!

* * *

_When the dark flood came_

_We wrapped ourselves inside a dirty blanket_

* * *

_"Get away from us," the teen mumbled. "Al," he whispered lovingly to his brother. Al's red eyes were wide in fear, his body shaking in his brother's arm._

_A bright blue light flashed and the wet road had turned to ice. The three alchemists turned their heads to see Isaac standing there, a smirk adorning his rough features._

_"I'm back."_

"Did you miss me?" the man asked. Edward looked over to the man, a glaring with fierce eyes. He wasn't in the mood, not in the least. His brother had been attacked by a strange man, and nearly died from fire  _again_ , as if the first time hadn't been enough. His arm had been destroyed (meaning he'd have to see Adrian later) and his brother's leg was broken. Then  _this_ guy shows and acts as though he has a right to come marching down the street on the  _worst possible day_ and-

"Havoc!" he heard a voice. He'd zoned out again, hadn't he? "Get them in the car!"

It was then that Havoc ran over to the two boys. Edward shied away from the helping hand and held his brother close to him as the two walked into the black military car with their heads low.

"What?! No!" Isaac yelled at the top of his lungs, pressing his engraved hands to the ground, trying to form ice around the car.

Mustang cursed and shot flames at the icicles, "Get them out of here, now!" he yelled. The car then drove off without a second thought.

The young state alchemist allowed Al to sit next to the window with his head lying on shoulder as soon as the elder settled himself in the seat belt. The dirty blonde man got into the driver's seat. Hughes looked at the two boys next to him. When Edward looked up, the teen glared at him. The bespectacled man allowed his gaze to follow on Alphonse. The teen's face was burried into Ed's left shoulder. The Major looked closer at the two brother's and saw the younger was still shaking.

"Ed, he's going to-"

"Shut up," he said furiously, "I know. I'm not an idiot."

"Of course," Hughes sighed and gave a light, almost sad, smile and settled for looking out the window. It was understandable why the boy would be frustrated and paranoid. It'd been what? Two years of being in the military? They were always on the move, always off  _somewhere_  and it was better for them. Criminals probably attacked them, tried to kill them or worse. Hughes frowned at the thought and shook them out of his head. Paranoia wasn't rare when the military involved. Heck, there were the citizens and their conspiracies against the government, it was only natural for a fourteen-year-old  _in_  the military would do the same.

Especially an Ishvalan.

He prayed to God that no one on the streets had noticed the blood red orbs that so fiercely devoured him whole. One pair seeped hatred of every shade and form of the word while the other held panic and horror of one's precious person being murdered. But, the sooner they got those revealing eyes covered the sooner their secret would be a secret once again. Maes wanted to pretend that it had been one bad nightmare.

Ed wanted to too.

It was less likely they'd be found out, and this was the worst possible way. God knows what happened to those boys during the war.

* * *

Havoc was confused.

That's it, he was confused. He felt like things just weren't  _right_. He looked towards the boy's in the back seat. It appeared as though Al had fallen asleep in the back seat and Edward didn't look out the window like he normally did. No, he kept his eyes away from the tinted glass. The albino-haired boy didn't want to risk it.

"You can't enter HQ like that," Hughes said aloud. "Havoc, we need to go to the store."

"Why?"

"Well, they can't exactly walk up the stairs of Eastern Headquarters with blood red eyes, now can they?" he asked with a smirk. He turned towards the eldest brother who was still awake. "You boys don't wear glasses, do you?"

"A little while ago, I did," Edward responded without look up.

"Why'd you stop?"

"I didn't need them anymore," he mumbled, "I only wore them after an accident."

"Care to elaborate?" Hughes asked.

"No, not really," the snow-white haired boy said. He didn't want to recall  _that_  incident. He closed his eyes recalling how painful the attack on his eyes were. It hadn't been his fault. He just wanted to be  _himself_. It was an innocent wish, one that didn't come true. But, since then, he'd been getting better at hiding his secret.

The car parked and Havoc got out of the car. Hughes stayed inside and looked around the street. It was mostly empty with a few stray citizens. "Havoc's getting you boys some contacts."

Edward nodded and turned back around watching his brother's breath even out. He smiled softly before pulling him closer to himself to absorb the heat that was radiating off of him.

It had been nothing like Ishval. There wasn't the smell of blood in the air, or burning flesh, but  _oh God the_ _ **heat**_  of the fire, Ed could feel it from where Mustang stood and snapped. Ed wondered why he hadn't been reduced to tears as well. The look on Al's face reminded him of his mother's when she watched family friends die by the finger around a simple trigger. They hid under the bed, and Winry in the closet. They had found her and killed her. The state alchemist covered his brother's mouth and eyes with his own hands as a tear slipped from his own pair or rubies. He didn't want Al to his best friend's face, he didn't want him to see those lifeless blue eyes. Ed remembered it so clearly...

Hurrying back into the car, Havoc slammed the door shut and threw two packets to the back seat. "There, put those on," he said before the car sped off from the store.

Lightly shaking Al's body, Ed frowned. Why wasn't he waking up. "Al," he whispered close to his brother's face. The younger furrowed his white eyebrows and turned his head away. Growling lowly, Edward decided to punch his brother's shoulder, jerking Al awake from whatever dream he was having.

The younger glared sleepily at his elder brother and sat up. "What?" he signed.

"Put these in your eyes."

" _What?_ "

Sighing, the state alchemist repeated himself once again. "Put them in your eyes, it'll hide us, for now."

Reluctantly, the younger Ishvalan placed the contacts into his eyes, turning them hazel brown. Edward did the same, turning them a mixture of blue and brown.

"How's your leg? Can you move it?" he asked.

Al tried to move it, wincing at the pain that erupted from his broken leg. "Not too good. It's not healing as fast as usual."

Ed glared at the leg before lowering a hand onto it, small green sparks emanating from it. Alphonse winced at the pain before sighing. "Better."

The car had parked only a few minutes ago and the two adults had seen the strange action. Hughes's emerald eyes grew wide. "What on Earth...?"

"Can you get my brother some crutches, Mr. Hughes? It'll be a little while before his leg completely heals."

The Major nodded and looked towards Havoc who groaned and pulled himself out of the black military car. Hughes got out second and Edward following, wrapping his arm around his brother's waist as he stood on uninjured leg.

"I think you boys should wait out here-"

"Which floor is the office on again? I would like to get my brother upstairs fairly quickly."

The bespectacled soldier sighed and walked the two Ishvalans up the stairs and down the corridor.

The walls were a pastel blue color, similar to the sky and the tiles below looked to be something akin to porcelain. There were few people in the corridor and anyone that decided to stare at the brothers was met with a fierce glare from the green-eyed man.

They reached they reached the room where Fuery and Falman had been waiting. The two soldiers abruptly stood and saluted before rushing over to the brothers. Mass held up a single hand and shook his head. Edward didn't seem to be in the mood to deal with them.

Edward tightened the arm around his brother's waist and proceeded to sit him on the couch, slowly lowering himself so that the thirteen-year-old didn't hurt himself more.

"I wish we could get out of here," the elder mouthed toward his sibling. Signing didn't seem appropriate considering he was missing an entire arm. Anything he gestured at got lost in translation. He could tell that Al was having trouble keeping up.

Alphonse nodded in acknowledgement, his eyes trailing over his broken leg. "It stopped bleeding," he signed calmly. The teen furrowed white eyebrows together, creating creases between them was he looked on. His brother accelerated the healing rate, but it was still fairly slow. It wasn't  _right_.

Ed sat on the carpeted floor beneath him, in front of his younger brother examining the injury as well. The two had unbelievable healing abilities, Edward more so than Alphonse. But, Trisha had always told them to keep it a secret. It wasn't meant to be common knowledge. But, he knew people noticed. He would occasionally fracture a bone and within the next month or so it'd be completely healed, free of any sign that it ever had come in handy when need be.

He noticed the few lacerations and scratches littering the appendage and glared at his brother's leg, hoping that it would heal by the force of the glare alone. If looks could kill, Ed's desired career would be secured. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't the case.

 _'Ed's eyes...they look like mom's,'_ he thought, a smile slowly coming back onto his features.

Yes, Elrics were made of strong bones and brains. Even their mother had been a physician and scientist, a mechanic for trains and the like. The woman was friendly and intelligent, if not overly so. She wanted to build something that could make mankind fly. She wanted to show the world what they had at their disposal. She was so  _close_.

But, then they stole her work.

Alphonse didn't hate Amestrians. He hated their government and their military procedures. Ishval had been under Amestrian rule for the past fifty or so years, but allowed them to keep their government, a government that had its citizens best interests at heart. A community that accepted some things, but not completely against the other.

Amestris had burned their home and their mother and their lifestyle along with it.

A hand waved in front of his face. "Al," his brother said, concerned brown eyes floating over his own. The deaf teen flinched back a bit in surprise, brown eyes wide before sighing.

"Major Hughes," Maes whispered. The family-man leaned in closer to the Lieutenant in response. "What about Boss?"

Hughes began to sweat.

* * *

"Ugh, he let them get away  _again_ ," Lust murmured in a disgruntled tone. "I hope he knows what he's doing. I would hate to have to get my hands dirty."

"Can I eat him?" a fat creature asked. He stuck a finger into his mouth, drool dripping down onto his chin. He was so  _hungry_.

"No, Gluttony. Father says we need The Freezer to get those brothers. We have to get them before  _they_ do."

The fat man, now known as Gluttony whined and watched on from the clock tower a few miles away. A pout settled onto his lips, this was no fun. The Elrics had already gotten away. What was the point of the ice alchemist sticking around? Gluttony wondered if he tasted anything like that old, fat preacher man.

* * *

"What are you doing here Freezer?" Mustang yelled from across the street. The rain had yet to stop, but that didn't stop him from wanting to give the man a piece of his mind. How dare he do something so...despicable…

How dare  _he_  give  _Mustang_  more paperwork?!

' _Oh, no, he's going down,'_  the Flame Alchemist thought.

"My fight's not with you,  _Hero_   _of Ishval_ ," he told him with an icy glare.

The Colonel furrowed his eyebrows until there was a deep crease in them. He could hear Hughes going on about wrinkles already.

' _Then what is he-'_

"The Elrics," he growled. What was he going to do with them? The military wouldn't go so far as to continue the extermination, would they? Anger suddenly flared inside of Roy. ' _I won't let it happen.'_  "I won't let you kill them!" he exclaimed through clenched teeth, poising his fingers to snap. "If you think you could  _ever_  lay a hand on them-don't you think you got enough during the war!"

Isaac laughed aloud. This was rich. This soaking wet idiot honestly thought he wanted the Ishvalans dead! If anything, it was the exact opposite. This was nothing more than a means to stay alive. All he had to do was get it away from them and to the Homunculi and he was home free! As if he actually cared about those  _brats_.

"Ha! You think I want to  _kill_  them? Oh, no, Flame Alchemist, I want them alive!"

"What?" Mustang exclaimed, baffled by the man. Then what did he-

The Freezer wasted no time in pressing the array engraved into the palm of his hand to the wet concrete, large blocks of ice tearing their way through the soldiers. Yells and screams erupted from the onslaught. Mustang looked behind him, noticing that Fuery and Hawkeye weren't injured too much.

Roy snapped furiously at the man hiding behind the blocks of ice, his better judgement blinded by rage. Steam clouded their vision, adding to the humidity in the air.

The escaped convict used this to his advantage and formed small needles of ice throughout the air. Hawkeye focusing her amber eyes into the mist, shot at the needles, shattering a few of them like glass as the steam dissipated. The others had managed to hit the Colonel in his shoulder and leg.

Wincing, Mustang took this opportunity to send flames towards the Freezer. The long-haired man flinched back and clutched at the burns he received on his left arm. He then jumped down into the sewers and ran down the opposite way of Scar, curses spewing from his mouth.

He had failed. The brothers were gone, there was no point in him staying when the target was no where in sight.

Roy was going to run after them until he felt a sharp pain in his right leg. He cursed clutching the appendage. Breda, Fuery, and Hawkeye ran up to the superior, concerned looks on their faces.

"Boss!"

" _Find them_ ," he muttered angrily. Mustang couldn't believe he allowed to little needles to affect him. Blood slowly dripped down his leg as he tried to walk. He would've fallen had Breda not caught him.

The blonde woman sighed, "Don't worry, Sir, we have soldiers searching for both Scar and Freezer now. you'll get medical attention once we get to headquarters. You're useless here, Sir."

The raven groaned at the use of his least-favorite word. Having the words 'you' and 'useless' in the same sentence brought a pang to his chest. At that moment, he was hoping Freezer would better his aim.

The Sergeant and Second Lieutenant each wrapped an arm around their superior and led him to the car. Hawkeye shouting orders to the soldiers that were getting patched up. She sighed. "At least Major Armstrong wasn't here to make things any worse."

The young woman walked over to the military-issued car, opening the front door and settling herself into the driver seat.

It had been a long day with new discoveries and more than enough unanswered questions. She knew those boys were in trouble, a lot of trouble. A small smile graced her features. They wouldn't be the Elric brothers if they didn't get in trouble.

But, they weren't the Elrics.

Hawkeye frowned at the realization. They were never who she thought they were. When Edward had first walked in, he was a shy young thing, unable to look anyone in the eye. Addressed his superiors as so and caused little trouble. His hair wasn't the usual grey that most Ishvalans had. No, it was a as white as snow, intriguing anyone that happened to be walking near him. Alphonse's had a darker tint, but was unusually white as well. She remembered Ed had once come in with it down, an obvious sleepy look on his face. She couldn't keep her eyes off of the natural curls he had. He looked feminine and as soon Havoc and Breda pointed it out, he blushed furiously.

" _You straighten your hair?"_  she asked.

He blushed even more at the question, to the point it was noticeable on the rich brown skin, " _Y-Yeah, I can hardly see when it's like this,"_  he stammered back shyly.

" _It looks nice, you should keep your hair like that for a bit."_

Edward seemed surprised by the compliment and smiled if only a bit. He kept it that way for the rest of the week, seeing as it had ironically been humid.

He wasn't the same person as before. The look in his eyes held nothing more than hatred. He wasn't shy back then, he had been afraid.

Alphonse however was a different case. The short-haired teen didn't come to the office the first six months or so after his brother's acceptance into the military ranks. The deaf boy was even more cautious than Ed's. His  _bleeding red eyes_  never stayed in one place.

Yes, that's what Hawkeye remembered his eyes looking like. His rubies were fearful, bleeding, seething the blood red color. He looked like such a child. He didn't even sign to them at first, his head bowed low and eyes in his lap. Al had been forced to sit outside the inner-office and wait for his brother's debriefing. Saying the air was tense was an understatement.

It was worse now.

The four soldiers had easily found themselves inside the office after getting patched up in the infirmary. Hughes and Havoc looked towards them with widened eyes before a hand wave calmed them down. "I'm fine, just a little roughed up," Mustang said to their unasked questions. His subordinates grunted in response to it.

Hawkeye felt as though she had walked into air filled with water. The Major and Second Lieutenant had been on one side of the room whilst the brothers on the other. This wouldn't go well. The two soldiers under Mustang's arms helped him over to where Hughes had been sitting and set him down, the Flame grunting as he settled himself in. He felt an angry pair of eyes on him.

"I know you're glaring at me, Edward."

It was true, the teen was glaring at him with such ferocity, if he didn't remember who he was, Mustang would've whimpered like a dog. He noticed the boy's eyes were a bluish brown this time around. He couldn't get Alphonse to meet his own onyx orbs. Al's knee bounced ever so slightly and his hand twitched subconsciously. He had reverted back to his nervous old self.

Edward, however had changed into something angrier. No one really thought that was possible. the snow-white haired boy clenched his fists at the man.

"So, you're Ishvalan-"

" _Were you going to hurt him?"_  the eldest brother growled out. The Fullmetal alchemist's eyebrows furrowed until there was a crease deep in his forehead.

' _He's such an angry little runt.'_

" _Were you going to scorch my brother's face off, bastard?_ " he asked.

"Were you going to die so easily? You survived Ishval after all, Fullmetal."

"Yeah, after  _you Amestrians_  sent our house to Hell!" Ed exclaimed.

Roy flinched a bit, but kept his composure. He was sitting in front of two boys who had probably experienced racism to the fullest degree because of the color of their eyes and skin. They watched their own mother be killed so mercilessly by Amestrians.

"He didn't look any different than all the others, did he?!"

Alphonse clutched his brother's flesh arm and used the other to tug at his shirt. He felt the vibrations in the floor and the walls. Panic was slowly rising up his throat as he felt anger radiate off his older brother. If things got out of hand, things could go back to the way they were out on the street earlier that day, perhaps  _worse_.

Ed was not a force to be reckoned with on any day.

"I would never try to do that, none of us would."

"Bullshit!"

"Its true, Fullmetal!" he yelled, causing all eyes to widen. "If I had an intentions of doing so,  _I would've done it already_." Al's eyes widened at the gesture. Mustang's lips moved furiously with a passion the deaf teen had never seen before. "You two could've gotten yourselves  _killed_  today, all because you were a reckless idiot!" he reprimanded.

Two sets of brown eyes widened and only one pair continued to glare. "If you had given me two more  _fucking seconds_  I would've had Scar finished and done with! Our problems with him would be solved. But, since I have a _completely useless bastard_ for a Colonel, he got away!"

"I'm  _not_  useless!"

"Then where are Scar and Freezer?"

The Flame faltered and stuttered. "W-Well, y-you see, they u-uh…" he trailed off.

Edward smirked and Hawkeye smiled. The tense air felt a little clearer, cleaner than before.

"But, you did manage bust your automail, Chief." Havoc pointed out, a smirk adorning his own face.

"Yeah, what are you gonna do without an arm?" Fuery asked in a curious tone.

Ed groaned and sat down next to his brother. It had been a good question. He was practically useless without his automail arm. He had tried multiple times to perform alchemy since they'd been in the office and had failed numerous times.

He stood and handed his brother a pair of crutches. They need to be leaving soon.

"I guess I'll call Russell then."

* * *

_When the houses came, they ate up everyone like they were fishes_

_Saying, "Come on, come on, it's the end of the world."_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own anything, thank you!  
> Review! Review!  
> Thanks!!


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